Write short stories instead.
Years ago, I used to write short stories. Scary ones. Funny ones. Romantic ones.
It was a good format for me to share my stories. Less overwhelming. In a matter of 500 words, or 1000 words, I could finish a story. There was a beginning and an end.
If you’ve tried to write your memoir, the prospect of writing chapters in a linear way can be hard. I know. I was trying to rewrite parts of my memoir today, and the linear style was just killing me. As I was getting bored writing about rain, I kept thinking of the time when I learned how to plant pechay (like bok choy) in high school.
Also, the thought of making it from that first page to The End kept getting in the way of my story. My story fizzled.
So I suggest…write little stories. So what if it’s just a paragraph? Write just even one story.
If I were to make a list of my stories, it would look like this:
How I lost my wallet at the planetarium
Why I loved our “haunted” house on San Beda Boulevard
My after school stops at the truffle shop
What would your list look like?
Cut your list up and put it in a jar. Pick one story, then take a few minutes and write about it. Start a new document for each one if you need to. Just so you can break out of that “I have to write a book” creative block. Soon, the stories will all add up.
Many documents later, you will have the material for your memoir.